Railway-switch



EATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

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J. J. MURPHY. RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

we mums percus cu. Pumaumn. msmm UNITED STATES atented February Q, 1904.

PATENT Orricn.

JOHN J. MURPHY, OF WELLSTON, MISSOURI, VSSIGrNOR OF FORTY- NINE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO JAMES D. HOUSEMAN, OF ST. CHARLES,

MISSOURI.

RAILWAY- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,988, dated February 9, 1904.

Application filed August 14,1903.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing in IVellston, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication.

My invention relates to a movable frog connected to the innermost side-track rail of a rail way-switch and to the adjacent main-track rail, and also to means 'by which the throwrod is connected to the frog, also to a bedplate on which the frog is supported and opcrates.

The object of the invention is to furnish" a construction in which lateral movement of the 'frog is permitted and whereby it is yieldingly held to permit the shifting thereof.

A further object is to furnish a loose connection between the frog and the side-track and main-track rails, whereby longitudinal movement of the frog is permitted under expansion and contraction due to extremes of heat and cold, so that said frog will adjust itself relatively to the rails to which it is connected and the opposing" main and lead rails at its point to prevent binding of the parts.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a top or plan view of my switch. Fig. II is an enlarged side elevation of the frog of the switch, the bed-plate, and the reinforcing-rails; Fig. III is a horizontal section taken on line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IV is a vertical cross-section taken on line IV IV, Fig. III. Fig. V is a vertical cross-section taken on line V V, Fig. III. Fig. VI is a vertical cross-section taken on line VIVI, Fig. III.

1 and 2 designate the lead-rails of the switch, the ends of which that oppose the switch-frog being separated by a wedge-shaped iiller-block 3, by .which they are held spaced at a uniform distance apart. Y

4. designates reinforcing.- rails, which embrace the lead-rails and extend beyond the SWITCH.

Serial No. 169,436. (No model.)

ends thereof, as seen in Figs. I and III. rIhe lead-rails are held between the reinforcingrails in their separated condition by bolts 5, that pass through the reinforcing-rails, leadrails, and iiller-block.

6 designates a bed-plate by whichthe reinforcing-rails '-i are carried and which extends forwardly beneath the reinforcing-rails, the filler-block, and the combined ends of the leadrails in the direction in which the protruding ends of the reinforcing-rails extend.

7 designates one of the main-track rails, and 8 is the other track-rail, the latter of which is adjacent to the side-track rails 10 and 10a.

The inner main-track rail 8 is bent outwardly at 9 toward the inner side-track rail 10, and the adjacent inner side-track rail 10 is bent inwardly at 11 to extend into proximity with the end of the inner main-track rail. bent ends of the rails 8 and 10 extend onto the bed-plate 6.

12 designates one of a pair of frog-rails, and 13 is the other of said frog-rails, the two rais being placed face to face at the point of the movable frog, as seen at 14, Figs. I and III, and being held together by bolts 15, that ex- The tend transversely through the web of the rails.

The rear ends of the frog-rails 12 and 13 are chamfered, as seen at 16 and 17, so that said rails will lie against the inner sides of the main-track railv 8 and side-track rail 10, to which they are fitted. The frog-rail 12 contains longitudinal slots 12,located in its rear end, and the frog-rail 13 contains longitudinal slots 13', located in its rear end.

18 designates connecting-bolts that pass through the slots 12' and 13' and through the main-track rail 8 and side-track rail 10, as seen most clearly in Fig. III. Surrounding the bolts 18, preferably at the inner ends, are springs 19, that serve to hold the frog-rails l2 and 13 yieldingly to the main and side track rails, 'so that said frog-rails may be moved independently of said main and side track rails, while at the same time sufficient holding connection by the bolts 18 is permitted to prevent accidental displacement of the combined frog-rails. A

20 designates slotted wedge-blocks positioned between the outer endsof the bolts 18 and the frog-rails 12 and 13 to provide straight bearings for the heads of said bolts to compensate for the difference in alinement of the main and side track rails and the frog-rails connected thereto in order that the movement of said frog-rails may not be interfered with as a result of such difference of alinement.

21 designates a throw-rod which operates in slots 22 in the reinforcing-rails 1 and passes through the webs of the frog-rails 12 and 13 for the operation of said rails combinedly. This throw-rod bears bosses 23, situated between the webs of the frog-rails, as seen most clearly in Fig. III, whereby it is connected to said rails after they are united to each other, thereby providing sufficient play of the throw-rod in the frog-rails to prevent binding of said rod in the frog-rails.

24 designates slotted collars secured to the reinforcing-rails 4 and through which the throw-rod 21 operates. These collars serve as bearings for the throw-rod and prevent wear by said rod on the reinforcing-rails. By this arrangement damage to the reinforcing-rails is avoided, and when the wear-collars become worn to an extent to render them unserviceable the collars may be removed and replaced by new ones without the expense and labor ofAV introducing new reinforcing-rails.

25 is a tumbler-rod of common form, to which the throw-rod 21 is united by a connecting-rod 26. (See Fig. I.) The tumblerrod leads to a switch-stand 27 of` any common form.

In the practical use of my switch the combined frog-rails are shifted laterally when the throw-rod 21 is reciprocated and their rear chamfered ends slide in engagement with the bentends of the main-track rail 8 and side-track rail 10, the movement of the frog-rails being readily permitted by reason of their being yieldingly connected topsaid rails 8 and 10. The loose connection of the frog-rails to the main and side track rails permits longitudinal movement of the frog-rails at all times as a result of the chamfering of the ends of the i frog-rails to rest against the main and side 'track rails and the springs applied to the connecting-bolts 18, so that whenever expansion and contraction under extremes of heat and cold occurs the frog-rails will readily adjust themselves to the rails to which they are united, thereby avoiding any binding action of the parts. In the movement of the frog rails they are solidly supported by the bed-plate 6 and ride freely therein instead of scraping over the railwa f-ties, as would be the case in the absence of said bed-plate.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a railway-switch, the combination of adjacent main and side track rails, a frog having tapering rear ends 'fitted to said rails, and means whereby said frog is yieldingly connected to said rails, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway-switch, the combination of adjacent main and side track rails, a frog having its rear ends fitted to said rails for longitudinal movement thereagainst,and bolts passing through said frog and rails to connect said parts, substantially as set forth.

3. In a railway-switch, the combination of adjacent main and side track rails, a froghaving its rear ends fitted to said rails for longitudinal movement thereagainst, bolts passing through said frog and rails to connect said parts, and springs applied to said bolts to hold the rear ends of said frog yieldingly to said rails, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a railway-switch, the combination of adjacent main and side track rails, a frog having slotted rear ends fitted to said rails for longitudinal movement thereagainst, and bolts passing through the slots in said frog and through said rails to connect said members, substantially as set forth.

5. In a railway-switch, the combination of main and side track rails, a frog having its rear ends fitted to said rails, bolts connecting the rear ends of said frog to said rails, and wedge-blocks fitted to the rear ends of said frog to receive the bearing of said bolts, substantially as set forth.

6. In a railway-switch, the combination of main and side track rails, a movable frog connected to said rails, a throw rod passing through said frog, and bosses on said throwrod between the sections of said frog, substantially as set forth.

JOHN J. MURPHY. 

